Hiatus

Hey gang, I am putting this blog on hiatus until I am able to devote more time to it. Right now I am devoting most of my time to my NBA.com blog, so be sure to check out my work there!


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Shaq On Vlade Divac

Phoenix got a big win today against the San Antonio Spurs thanks in part to a big day from Shaq. While the Shaq of old may be gone, he can still help the Suns if they can consistently find him in the post.

This video is, without a doubt, the greatest Shaq clip of all time. Hilarious stuff big guy.

Gasol To The Lakers

I haven't been around much due to being very very busy, but I gotta post this. Great day for Laker fans.


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Andrew Bynum Still Rolling

Last night Andrew Bynum continued to show the league that the Lakers made the right move in hanging on to him last season. Bynum dominated Jermaine O'Neal and helped the Lakers blow out Pacers.

Here's a classic clip from Bynum's rookie season that first showed us the kind of potential that he had.

Celtics Talking Too Much Trash?

Sorry for not having any new content yesterday, I got hit by a nasty case of food poisoning (thanks In-N-Out) and was out of commission all day.

In his recent ESPN chat David Thorpe made a few comments about how much trash the Celtics are talking out on the court. Could this have been a factor in Lamar Odom's flagrant foul on Ray Allen?

While Odom himself listed several reasons for the foul, he didn't mention trash talk. Still, the Celtic's frustrating defense, combined with the trash talk and their habit of blowing out opponents probably doesn't sit too well with other teams in the league.

Of course, trash talking is part of the mental side the game. It can be seen as crude at times, but the general idea is to get in your opponent's head while boosting your own confidence at the same time. Some of the best players that the game has ever seen were notorious trash talkers, such as Michael Jordan and Gary Payton.

Still, there are many who see trash talking as unsportsmanlike, as something that should be left on the playgrounds and removed from the professional game. It gives the impression that the player is arrogant and conceited, which doesn't help the NBA in their never-ending quest to remove the "gangster" or "thug" element from the game.

We have already seen the NBA crack down on things like taunting, hanging on the rim, arguing with referees, and other actions that would be considered bad behavior. Accordingly, trash talking seems to have declined from it's hayday in the late 90's. If the Celtics are saying a few things here and there to their opponents then so be it. It hasn't gotten out of hand yet, and if the chatter on the floor is helping Boston take their game to a new level then the NBA needs to let it go.

The rest of the league needs to understand that the way to hurt a trash talking team is on the scoreboard, not with flagrant fouls and overly physical play, which we saw when the Celtics took on the Kings. Until someone does that the Celtics have every right to talk.

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Artest Can Fix The Knicks-2008 Off To Strange Start

Can 2008 get any weirder? On New Years Day Mickael Pietrus said that he wants to be traded to a team that plays closer to the West Indies. Yes, the same Mickael Pietrus that plays for the Golden State Warriors, aka the most exciting team in the league. Of course, Pietrus' defensive skills don't mesh that well with Nellie-ball, but still, you just don't hear of many players looking to leave the Warriors right now.

Then Andrew Bogut came out with the brilliant idea to Google "learning how to win" in order to help his Milwaukee Bucks. Wow, if only they had thought of that sooner!

To top it all off, Ron Artest has stated that he can turn around the New York Knicks. Don't get me wrong, I think that Ron Artest is a very talented player,but he is also just about as crazy as they come. At this point the Knicks are crazy enough on their own. Adding Artest should be the last thing on Isaiah Thomas' mind right now.

At the very least, this news should add an interesting element to tonight's Knicks vs. Kings game at the Garden. Artest is out of action due to elbow surgery, but the MSG crowd will probably have something to say to Thomas about Artest anyway.

The question is do things just get stranger from here?

Edit: No joke, Mark Madsen is considering buying a gun. Now I'm really scared.

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Warriors vs. Mavs

Here's a cool video I found on the Warriors vs. Mavs first round playoff series from last year. The two sides meet up again tonight in Dallas. Should be a good one!

Ariza Dunk On Hill

I figure that putting up a picture of one of the nastiest dunks of the season thus far would be a great way to kick off 2008. Grant Hill still contends that this was an offensive foul, despite video replays that clearly show that it wasn't.




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Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone, and a huge thank you for reading my blog. I have made some major changes to this blog over the past few weeks (thanks Winter Break!) and will continue to do everything I can to push this blog to be one of the best out there.

So where will the Unpossiblog be headed in 2008? Even I can't say for sure, but it's going to be a fun ride regardless.

Have a safe and happy New Year.

-unposs

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Lakers wear short shorts against the Celtics

Here is a great clip of the short shorts. The question is why in the world would the Lakers decide to wear these shorts when it is so obvious that they would be a distraction?

Lakers Shorts Aren't Enough To Stop Celtics

AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Last night the Boston Celtics, the team often criticized for not beating anyone of note, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers rather easily. It was one of the most anticipated games of the young season, with the powerhouse Celtics getting one of their first major road tests against their old rivals from LA.

The night had so many storylines running through it: the young Lakers team trying to live up to the ghosts of the past, Phil Jackson being on the brink of passing Red Auerbach in the regular season win column, the Celtics Big 3 going out on their first major road trip, even Paul Pierce heading home to Inglewood. All signs pointed to this being a game that should not be missed. Personally, I rushed from a family holiday dinner in order to catch the game, with high hopes that I would be witnessing the renewal of the greatest rivalry in NBA history.


Unfortunately, the game itself did not live up to the hype. The Lakers came out looking to invoke the 1980's by wearing throwback uniforms-short shorts included-but they were clearly a distraction for LA. While the Celtic defense was solid as usual, the Lakers compounded their problems by having an off shooting night. Shot after shot rattled in and out of the basket, leaving many fans at Staples Center stunned. The game itself really wasn't much of a competition, as the Celtics were clearly in control for the majority of the game and the Lakers never found their rhythm.

The referees also made themselves a negative factor in the game. An unusual number of calls on both sides were clearly incorrect, leaving many fans frustrated. Where I was watching the game I even heard a few references to the now-infamous Tim Donaghy, who was caught betting on games that he officiated. The NBA has done a good job of downplaying the Donaghy scandal, but games as poorly officiated as this one won't help their cause.

While this chapter of the Lakers vs. Celtics rivalry didn't live up to the hype, we did learn something very important: The Boston Celtics are a mentally tough team on the road as well as at home.

There were plenty of factors that could have derailed Boston, such as playing in a back to back coming off a tough win over Utah, Red's record being on the line, all the hype from playing the Lakers, and of course the short shorts. However, the Celtics weren't fazed by any of it. In fact, Kevin Garnett had one of his best games as a Celtic, and the team calmly and efficiently took care of business. That's a trait that championship teams have to have, and is a very good sign for Celtics fans.

We didn't get the game that we were hoping for, but the endless story that is the NBA rolls on regardless. And really, that's the great thing about the NBA right now. Even when one game lets you down, there is always another compelling match up around the corner that will leave you on the edge of your seat.

Quote of the night:

"...and of course Kevin McHale, what a great job he's doing for the Minnesota Timberwolves....the last place team in the league." - Joel Myers, Lakers play-by-play announcer

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Tags: Kevin Garnett,Boston Celtics,Los Angeles LakersRay Allen,Paul Pierce,Andrew BynumLakers Celtics Rivalry,Magic Johnson,NBA ChampionshipLakers Shorts

Kurt Rambis Fouled By McHale

The foul heard 'round the world...

Lakers vs. Celtics: Rivalry Renewed

Here at the Unpossiblog we value the storylines that make the NBA turn, and there is no greater tale than the continuing rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.


During the 1960's the Celtics dominated with Hall of Famers like Bill Russell and Bob Cousy leading the way, beating the Lakers in the NBA Finals 6 times. The intense rivalry between the two teams would be capped by an unlikely NBA Championship for the aging Celtics in 1969, when they pulled off a game 7 victory over a Lakers squad loaded with stars like Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor.

The rivalry would continue in the 1980's with the emergence of Ervin "Magic" Johnson and Larry Bird as the stars of the NBA. The two men would use their fierce competitive drive to bring the NBA to new heights.

The Lakers had "Showtime", and were the most exciting team in the league with players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Byron Scott, and Michael Cooper running alongside Magic. In contrast, the Celtics were seen as a hard working, gritty team with players like Robert Parish, Kevin McHale, and Dennis Johnson.


The contrast in styles only helped to fuel the rivalry, re-igniting the passions of fans on both sides. Boston fans chanted "Beat LA" at every opportune moment, while LA fans responded with their chants of "Boston Sucks". The two sides created a plethora of legendary moments, including Magic Johnson's game winning baby hook, McHale's foul on Kurt Rambis, and the infamous "Heat Game" in the Boston Garden.

In total, the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA Finals 3 times during the 1980's, with the Lakers walking away with 2 victories to the Celtic's 1. Following the retirement of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the early 90's the rivalry went into hibernation, waiting for a time when the Lakers and Celtics would both be strong enough to re-ignite the competition between the two clubs.

That time is now. Thanks to the arrival of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to play alongside Paul Pierce, the Celtics are looking like the best team in the Eastern Conference. On the left coast, the continued emergence of Andrew Bynum has finally given Kobe Bryant enough help to make some real noise for the first time in the post-Shaquille O'Neal era. While the Lakers aren't currently seen as title contenders they are performing well enough to make the other powers in the league stop and take notice.

On Sunday, December 30th the Celtics will meet the Lakers in LA on part of their first major road trip out west. There is a lot riding on the game for both teams. Throughout the young season the Celtics have been plagued by claims that their 24-3 record has been padded by weak opponents, with many claiming that they couldn't be seen as a legitimate title contender until they show that they can win against the teams in the stronger Western Conference. Their second meeting with the now red-hot Lakers gives them an opportunity to prove to the rest of the league that they are for real.

The Lakers, on the other hand, are riding a 4 game winning streak, including Friday night's big win over one of last season's Western Conference Finalists, the Utah Jazz. The Lakers also have a little bit of revenge on their mind after losing 107-94 when the two clubs met in Boston on November 23rd.

Of course, we can't forget about the eerie fact that Lakers coach Phil Jackson is on the verge of breaking the regular season win record of legendary Celtics coach Red Auerbach. A win over Boston Sunday night would give Jackson the lead. Would fate allow it to happen any other way?
While the regular season win record isn't an NBA championship there is no doubt that it will give both sides a little something extra to play for. If that translates to anything close to the level of competition these two sides have displayed in the past fans league-wide will be in for a real treat.

For the fans of both the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers the game will provide a nostalgic return to the glory days of the NBA. Two teams destined to be linked together throughout history will add another chapter to their story Sunday night. There is no doubt that the ghosts of the past will be in attendance to watch a rivalry renewed.

Update: The Celtics just defeated the Jazz in Utah 104-98. They now have to fly to LA for the second game of the back to back against the Lakers. This game will really be a great test of the Celtics mental and physical endurance.

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Tags: Kevin Garnett,Boston Celtics,Los Angeles LakersRay Allen,Paul Pierce,Andrew BynumLakers Celtics Rivalry,Magic Johnson,NBA Championship

The Best Dunkers In The NBA

So here I am sitting in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland waiting for the fireworks display to start. It's colder than what any Californian like myself should be expected to endure, and I need something to do to pass the time and warm up my hands.

So why not make a list of the 6 guys I want to see in this year's dunk contest? After all, the dunk has become an art form. From Dr. J to the modern day, the dunk has evolved and changed over the years. The current crop of NBA high flyers has the benefit of the wisdom of the ages behind them, and I can only imagine where they are going to take the dunk next.

So politics and posturing aside, which 6 guys could make history if they were in this year's contest?

1. Dwight Howard: Dwight was robbed last year when the judges didn't see the sticker he put on the backboard. Rumor has it he wants permission to raise the rim to 12 feet if he gets in the contest this year.

2. Vince Carter: VC gave us one of the best dunk contest performances ever a few years ago. He is getting a little older, but would you want to count out the guy who jumped OVER 7'2" Frederic Weis? Me either.

3. LeBron James: Remember, I said all politics aside for this post. LeBron won't really enter, but with his mix of athleticism and power he could put on a real show.

4. Josh Smith: Smith busted out a perfect Dominique Wilkins tribute dunk in Denver a few seasons ago, taking the creativity of the contest to a whole new level in the process. He would be in without question.

5. Gerald Green: last year's champ is an automatic entry. Did you know that he is missing half of his middle finger on his right (shooting) hand?

6. Andre Iguodala: Iggy had perhaps the most innovative dunk of the past few years when he got the alley oop pass from Allen Iverson off the backside of the backboard. He was robbed by little Nate Robinson that year and deserves a chance to redeem himself.

So there it is. Dwight, VC, LeBron, J-Smoove, Green, and Iggy. Would the dunk contest ever be the same again? Pick a winner...I dare you.
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Tags: Dwight Howard,LeBron James,Vince Carter,Andre Iguodala,Gerald Green,Josh Smith,NBA Dunk Contest

Lakers vs. Jazz: Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom

Greetings from the happiest (and most crowded) place on earth. Every
night there are fascinating storylines in the NBA, and tonight is no
exception.

Derek Fisher was released from his contract with the Jazz over the
summer so that he could move to a city with better medical care for
his cancer-stricken daughter. Many Jazz fans were not pleased that
Fisher chose to sign with the rival LA Lakers, and let him hear it the
last time the Lakers played in Utah.

Fans league-wide took offense at the treatment Fisher received in Utah
because of the circumstances that caused him to leave the team. Will
Lakers fans respond in kind tonight?

Lamar Odom is another player who has been dealing with his share of
personal tragedy. Odom lost his infant son two summers ago, and
spent this past off season recovering from shoulder surgery. The
versatile star has yet to look like himself this season, and could
find himself out of LA before the trade deadline if he can't turn
things around soon.

There is a lot riding on this match up tonight, and it should be
interesting to watch these stories unfold.

Back with more soon...

Quick Update

I am taking the wife to Disneyland today, but that doesn't mean that I won't make a quick post before I go. Heck, I may even send in a few quick ones from the happiest place on earth...you never know how long you are going to be waiting in line there.

By the way, if you are a big Disney person like me, you have to check out this site.

ESPN has a great story up about Jameer Nelson and how he is dealing with his father's death. Really tragic stuff.

At this point KG is the leading vote-getter for the upcoming All Star game, which is great to see. The guy deserves all the accolades he can get.

I will be back with more later. Oh, and Kurt from Forum Blue and Gold has control of the True Hoop Blog at ESPN today. Make sure you check that out.


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Kevin Garnett Boston Red Sox First Pitch

Compare the KG that you saw in the video link I posted below to the one you see here in Boston...

Kevin Garnett: Tears of Celtic Pride

It wasn't all that long ago that Kevin Garnett made headlines for his 2005 interview with John Thompson. Garnett's Timberwolves had been losing games badly, and Thompson wanted to get KG's feelings about playing on a team with no shot at winning a title.

No, Garnett didn't go on a profanity-laden rant, or demand to be traded, or cut down his teammates like many superstar athletes are prone to doing when things aren't going their way. Instead, Kevin Garnett cried.

Keep in mind that the previous season Garnett had been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player, and had come within a Sam Cassell injury of going all the way to the NBA Finals. He is one of greatest players of all time, and has the respect and admiration of millions. Despite all of this success, on a nationally televised interview, Kevin Garnett cried.

The Timberwolves had started falling apart, and slipping back into mediocrity after coming so close to the title just one season earlier was too much for Kevin to take. His interview with John Thompson gave him an opportunity to let everyone know what he was really feeling. As the conversation went on Thompson became less and less of a reporter and more of a father figure, talking the passionate star through what would become the interview that defined him not only as a player but as a person as well.

Garnett, in an attempt to explain his emotions, told John Thompson that "...these are tears of pain". "Tears of pride, too.", Thompson added with his baritone, grandfatherly voice.

Flash forward to present day. Garnett's stats are down across the board. He averages 4 less minutes per game. He is not the first and only option on offense. And with his new club, the Celtics, sitting at 23 wins and just 3 losses, Kevin Garnett can't stop smiling.

Boston is poised to make a serious run at an NBA Championship this season, with their Big 3 of Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen leading the way. Yes, that's more talent playing alongside KG than he ever had in Minnesota, but that's not the secret to the Celtics success. In fact, talent has very little to do with it. Instead, it's pride that is fueling Boston these days. Pride that comes from having a leader so committed to winning that losing brings him to tears.

Every team in the NBA has talent. Sure, some have more than others, but the league is filled with professional athletes who have the ability to play the game of basketball at incredibly high levels. But to find success in the NBA, to win a championship, it takes something more than just talent.

What makes them truly special is that desire, drive, passion, whatever you want to call it. Sometimes one player's passion is too strong, too much for a team to take, and everything falls apart. But every once in awhile, the right mix comes along, and that passion spreads like wildfire. Mediocre players rise up to be part of something bigger, confidence grows, and individual talents blend seamlessly into the greater whole.

Jordan had that passion, and through him so did the Bulls. Magic Johnson had it, and through him so did the Lakers. Kevin Garnett has it, and through him so do the Celtics.

The season is far from over, but the Celtics look poised to make a serious run at an NBA championship. Kevin Garnett, despite his slipping numbers, is considered one of the front runners to win the league MVP award. Not that it matters to him.

During that classic interview John Thompson reminded Kevin of all his personal achievements and accolades, as though they would cheer up the somber star. In a shaking, raspy voice Garnett responded, "...It ain't about me, it's about us." Finally, he has a team that believes it, a team to be proud of.

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Tags: Kevin Garnett,Boston Celtics,John Thompson

NBA Trade Deadline Approaching

Only Pat Riley knows where Jason Williams will be going. (credit ESPN.com)

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. We saw some great games, with the Cavs prevailing over the Heat, the Lakers over the Suns, and the Blazers winning their 11th(!) in a row by beating Seattle. The next time each of these teams play each other they could look very different, as the Cavs, Lakers, and Heat are involved in just about all the trade stories out there.

There is no question that the trade rumors in the NBA are really starting to heat up. Within the last few days names like Jason Williams, Ben Wallace, Pau Gasol, Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, Andre Miller, Mike Miller, and Larry Hughes have surfaced (or re-surfaced) as players that could potentially be on the move. That's a lot of big names, and the list is going to continue to grow as we get closer and closer to the February trade deadline.

Unfortunately, a lot of the rumors are just that...rumors. Most start off as someone coming up with an idea and posting it somewhere online, or on a sports radio show, or some other public forum. From there the information gets passed along from one source to another, and before you know it you have a major trade rumor that major media sources are talking about ad nauseum.

And what's wrong with that? After all, trades are fun. Sports radio stations will spend hours upon hours dissecting trades, newspapers will write about them, fans will be abuzz waiting for the official word that their team just landed some extra help.

The problem is that the forgotten piece to the puzzle is the players themselves. What effect do trade rumors have on the players? The standard response from NBA players when their name comes up in a trade rumor goes something like this: "I love it in (insert city here). I don't ever want to leave. At the same time though, this is a business, and if something happens, it happens."

It's a very safe and smart response, after all. The player can't risk alienating teammates and fans by saying that he wants to leave, nor can he lower his trade value to his own team by saying that he would refuse to go. But is this what they really think?

Miami Heat guard Jason Williams, never one hold back, colorfully shed some light on the thoughts of the player when their name comes up in a trade.

"The thing about it is how it affects your family... We're like some high-paid prostitutes anyway in this league," he said. "They just use and get rid of us whenever they want."

That certainly doesn't sound like a guy who just sees the game as a business with no emotional attachment. And he brings up a great point: most of these guys have families. Every time they are traded their family is uprooted and moved to a new city. Every time a trade rumor comes up their kids have to go to school knowing that every day they could be seeing their classmates for the last time. The only alternative is for the player to move to his new destination and leave his family behind, which means they have to spend 6 months out of the year away from their wives and children. Neither option is very appealing.

Yes, there are millions of people in the country who have it much rougher than NBA players do. For example, men and women in the armed forces go a lot longer without seeing their families, yet somehow they manage to get by.

Still, it's a bit unsettling that so many people today look at the approaching trade deadline as a positive thing, when so many players see it in such a negative light. In some situations, like Jason Williams, the player doesn't even feel like a part of their team. They are just a contract to be moved when the right deal comes along. Is that how a team wants its starting point guard to feel?

So while fans scream and cry for their least favorite player to be shipped out, don't forget that these players are human beings. Alonzo Mourning showed us that even though these guys can do super-human things on the court, they are still just as vulnerable as everyone else.

And for those fans aching for their team to improve, sometimes having the assurance that their jobs are secure and they won't be traded can produce better players and a better team than a trade can. Just look at the Chicago Bulls and what the Kobe rumors did to them. With just about every Bulls player involved in the deal at some point, the Bulls couldn't focus and have started the season looking like one of the leagues biggest disappointments. A big part of this game is chemistry. Everyone sees what Boston did and thinks "Why not us?", but not every team is going to land a KG-type player at the deadline. Even fewer teams will actually have the chemistry that Boston has shown after making a major trade.

So, while to the fans the grass is always greener on the other side, try not to be too disappointed if your favorite team stands pat this season. Sometimes the best move for all parties involved (fans included) is no move at all.


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Tags: NBA Trades,Jason Kidd,Mike Miller,Andre Miller,Trade Deadline

Kobe Beats the Suns at the Buzzer

Kobe and Lakers were able to overcome the Phoenix Suns tonight at Staples Center, bringing back memories of this classic finish from the 2006 playoffs.